


smh

by krisherdown



Series: Special Ks Love [5]
Category: Tennis RPF
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-08
Updated: 2015-10-08
Packaged: 2018-04-25 11:45:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 604
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4959421
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/krisherdown/pseuds/krisherdown
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Three stupid letters from Nick and there’s now even more damage to clean up.  Takes place after Day 1 of the Davis Cup SFs (in which Thanasi got destroyed by Murray and Bernie beat Evans).</p>
            </blockquote>





	smh

**Author's Note:**

> This fic doesn't have specific connection to the others, beyond it involving the Nick and Thanasi dynamic from an outsider POV.

Bernie knows that Thanasi is a good kid. He _understands_ Nick a lot better, both having their own problems dealing with fame, but he knows Thanasi is a good person.

This match blindsided the kid. He really thought he had a chance against Andy due to practice sessions. Bernie could’ve told him that wouldn’t prepare him for the real thing. He knows, having enough losses of his own to the Scot, as well as whatever you call the match against Nick at the US Open that seemed more of a sideshow exho than a real match.

He watches as Lleyton is wrapped in a cocoon of nerves as he obviously wants in on the action beyond the doubles match. He and Sam have bailed the team out of the tie against Kazakhstan and it’s looking like another escape may be needed.

That doesn’t help deal with a kid who had believed. He made the monster comeback against Rosol and _believed_ he belonged, just like he believed he could survive a match against Andy Murray and what sounded like all of Scotland in that arena.

*

_smh_

Someone screen captured Nick’s tweet and was evil enough to inform Thanasi. It would have been better if it was about banging someone’s girlfriend because at least that joke is stale.

Thanasi already had the sad puppy look going on earlier but his spirits had picked up as Bernie neared in on evening the tie. Those three little letters brought it back. Bernie certainly is good at causing messes but he doesn’t involve innocent bystanders and he wishes Nick would stop doing that to Thanasi.

“Did you play the bagpipes?”

Thanasi scrunches up his nose, trying to figure out where greetings went. “Uh, yeah. That was rough.”

“Not for me. I totally rocked it,” Bernie brushes aside, refusing to acknowledge the sad stuff from before. That’s so not his thing.

“Really? Because I heard somewhere about you refusing to kiss Sam. I think that means your technique is a bit off, mate.”

“My bagpipe technique or my kissing technique?” Bernie laughs as Thanasi tries not to show a reaction, which is fruitless as his face is ridiculously animated. “Like I said in the clip, I’ve done worse.”

“Now that’s just rude to Sam.”

Bernie smirks but catches himself before making an offer to prove him wrong about kissing technique. After all, he’s not one who consoles others. Even if the person has goofy hair and may be hung up on someone with even goofier hair.

That said, he notices that that weird happy-go-lucky smile is back on Thanasi's face.  At least Bernie's effort has been appreciated.  But the next thing he says is in a sadder, wry tone.  "It's hard realizing just how far away I am from him in terms of my game."

"Andy has made me look terrible enough times.  He may do that again on Sunday.  I get it."  Bernie knows the Scot was in the zone and Thanasi was nervous on serve - a recipe for disaster.  "That just shows how tough it really is to get to the top.  If you're not healthy, if your brain isn't in the mood for a battle, if you have an opponent who gets into a groove and suddenly forces you to play another hour of tennis like Evans did to me."

"I cannot believe I've sunk so low as to be given a Bernie pep talk," but it's followed by the goofball laugh.  "I wasn't talking about Andy.  It sounds dumb," which means even now, he's talking about Nick.  "But thanks.  That made me realize it was silly."

 


End file.
